Flow head



V. L. REED Jan. 29, 1935.

FLOW HEAD Filed March 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill Jan. 29,1935. V. REED 1,989,608

FLOW HEAD Filed March 22, 1932 2 Sheets-sheet 2 gmc/nto@ abbe/m11 Patented jan. 29, 1935 [UNITED STATES `iArtNr; voI--Fice- FLOW HEAD Victor L. Reed, Tulsa, Okla. Applicatin March 22, 1932, serial No. 600,503 4 claims. (01.13'1-71) My invention consists Ain new and useful improvements in a flow head for oil wells and has for its object to provide such a device which is particularly designed to retard the velocity and cause a reduction in pressure of the fluid passing through a well casing whereby the force of the fluid and sandv carried thereby is in turn reduced to eliminate to a large extent wear on the inner walls of the flow head.

Heretofore numerous difficulties have been encountered in bringing in new wells due to the fact that in flowing the oil and well the conventional flow heads and connections soon became worn and cut out as a resultv of the action of sand carried in the oil and gas under extremely high pressures, thus causing leakage and consequently serious losses, both in time required for repairs and in the flowing substance itself.

To overcome the above difficulties I` have designed a flow head which is substantially globular in4 shape, its inner surface gradually expanding into a stream lined expansion chamber of considerablyv greater diameter than that of the well casing to which it is attached. By this particular caused by the action of the sand, oil vand gas passing through the flow head under extremely high pressures, thus causing erosion and cutting of the head is materially reduced, if notvpractically eliminated, due to the'vretarded velocity and reduction in pressure of the fluid upon entering the flow head;

Obviously the life of a iiow head constructed in accordance with my invention is greatly prolonged and the procedure in bringing in a new well is facilitated.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing my improved flow head in place on a well casing.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the flow head.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View.

Fig. 4 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of my invention showing means for segas from lthe.

lines leading'to conventional oil and gas sepastructure the diiculties which were curing an oil saver orother appliance in place when cleaning out the well. I f

In the drawings, 1 represents the body portion of my improved flow head which is substan'- tially globular inlshape,l its interior forming a 5 relatively largel expansion chamber 2, the walls of which are stream lined and devoid of'abrupt curves and `angles as clearly'shown in Fig. 2.

Theflow headbody 1 may beconstructed of any suitable material but is preferably composed'of l0 cast iron with relatively thick walls.' w The lower extremity of the flow? head body is provided with an inletopening 3 'adjacent which is' secured a flanged coupling yi formounting the device on the upper end of a well casing 5, said l5 casing being in direct communication With'the interior of the expansion chamber 2.` InV one sidewall of the body portion 1 and substantially at right angles to the inlet opening 3, I provide one or more discharge openings 6 adjacentwhich are located suitable flanged connections 'l for coupling flow lines 8 thereto, alsosin communication with the expansion'chamber 2, said llow rators not shown.

,25 The free end of the Aflow head is provided with Van opening 9 adapted to register with and receive Vthe angedconnection 10 of an upwardly extending fluid cushion pipe 1l, the' upper extremity of thelatter being internally threaded to receive a suitablebull plug or the like 12.

In Fig. Y 5 of the drawings I have shown a slightly different'construction wherein the anged .couplinglOa is separate from the fluid/cushion pipe 11 and is providedv with an upwardly projecting annular collar 10b, internally threaded to receive complementary threads on the lower end of the fluid cushion pipe. With this structure, the opening 9 being in communication with the expansion chamber 2 and in direct line with the inlet opening 3 and casing 5, by removing the pipe 11 a bailer, swabbing device or other tools may be inserted through the flow head when bringing in a well or when cleaning the well out. The collar 10b is preferably drilled and threaded transversely at predetermined points around its circumference to receive a plurality of set screws 13 for securing an oil saver or other appliance in place when cleaning out the well, it being understood that during such operation the fluid cushionrpipe 11 is disconnected. These set screws perform no function while the well is flowing and the fluid cushion pipe l1 and bull plug 12 are in place. It will n be noted that instead of the fluid cushion pipe 55 11 it may be desired to connect an additional flow line into the opening 9.

14 represents a master gate valve which is connected into the well casing 5 and usually located near the upper extremity of the collar 15, and 16 designates a conventional derrick door constructed at the top of the Well.

'I'he operation of my improved flow head is obvious. The up-owing oil and gas, carrying varying` quantities on sand and'- other foreign matter passes throughA the casing 5usuallyhunder extremely high pressure and is discharged through the inlet 3 into the expansion chamber 2 of the flow head, where due to the increased area, the

velocity of 110W is materially retarded andl the pressure of the fluid reduced. Thislexpansion of the uid and consequent reduction pressureV together with thefstreamflined deand Velocity, sign of the inner walls of the chamber 2,natu. rally eliminates the cutting effect of the sand carriedibyft-he; fluidL upomthe. inner walls of; the flow head and the directionr of flowV of the fluid isrtransferred, substantially atrighil angles and ntoithe flow lines 8,` which conduct the mixture of,- oil gas vand sand to suitable separators as beforeistatech; ,Y c VA'When'.therwell is flowing the pipe; extension 1'1 lls:.cwith oil. gas et c;,;and acts as;a cushion, which insures greater'jsafety Vand service to the owcheadiin the; event some large bulk such as rocks should Abethro'wnupby the oil stream into theflowhead;'` Y ..cWhenAit is;desired,to,useja bailer or other tools, the pipe.:1:1;is'removedgaidrdingaccess to thegflow :head andicasin'gffrom thetopthereof, and when .cleaning outalwelhaconventonal oil saver may be-inserted thrcughtheopening 9; andA secured in `place;by.'means rof the set screwsfls` in the co1- v1al\,\l.0l 1, Y

fc Fromthe. foregoingisisbelieved that the objects .and'advantages of my improved flow head over structures heretofcreknown willi bereadily understood by thoseskillediinthe art without further;` desoriptionitbeing borne ini mind that numerous changes may be madefin` the details of .construction; without departing from the spirit of theinvention asset forth inthe following claims. .What I, claim andi desire to'secure byLetters Patent-isz?.

hln;A `combination with an oil well casing, an expansions flow head comprising-'a substantiallydglobular VVbody portion; an unobstructed .'.expansion `chamber 'in said body portion, of

relatively'large diameter with respect to said well casing and in communication therewith, and a discharge opening leading from said eX- pansion chamber at an angle to said well casing, the inner walls of said expansion chamber being stream-lined and devoid of abrupt curves and angles, its surfaces gradually merging into the inlet and outlet openings of said chamber.

2. In combination with an oil Well casing, an expansion flow head comprising a substantially globular body portion, anunobstructedexpansion chamber-in said body portion, of relatively large diameter with respect to said well casing and in communication therewith, a discharge opening leading from said expansion chamber at an angle t'o-said well casing, the inner walls of said expansion chamber being stream-lined and devoid of "abrupt curves and angles, its surfaces gradually merging intothe inlet and outlet openings of said chamber, and a fluid cushioning column in communication with said chamber and arranged indirect liney withy the fiow from said casing.

3. InTv combination withan oil well casing, an expansioniiow head comprising a substantially globular bodyportion, an unobstructed expansion cl'iamber` insaid body portion, of relatively large diameter with respect tosaid well casing and in communication therewith, a plurality of dis ,charge openingseradiating from said expansion chamber at an angle to said` well casing, the inner Walls of said expansion chamber being stream-lined: and, vdevoid of abrupt .curves and angles, its surfaces-gradually merging into the inlet and@ outlet openings of said chamber, anda fluid cushioning column in communication with said; chamber and arranged indirect line with the iiow from saidA casing.

in combination wanen. 011 well casing, an

.envpkansiori4 ow: head., comprising arelative1yY large bodyportion having an unobstructed. expansion chamber thereinof relatively large diameter with yrespecttorsailfwell casing. and inA communication therewith,andafplurality of discharge openings leading,from,saidexpansion'chamber at an angle tosaid- Wellcasing, the inner walls, of said eX- pansion-chamber being streamlined anddevoid of chamber', whereby oil flowinginto said-i chamber fromv saidfcasing" is expandedanterior to its diversionfthrough the outletopening to permit a abruptcurves and. angles, its surfaces gradually Y merging intothe inlet and outlet openings-of said 

